new in theaters

BOY KILLS WORLD: A bereaved young man (Bill Skarsgård) trains to become an instrument of bloody vengeance in this action thriller from director Moritz Mohr, also starring Famke Janssen and Jessica Rothe. (115 min, R. Essex, Paramount)

CHALLENGERS: Memories of a love triangle among three tennis pros (Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor) make sparks fly when two of them face off years later in this drama from Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name). (131 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star)

UNSUNG HERO: This inspirational biopic tells the story of David and Helen Smallbone and their family's rise in the Christian music industry. With Daisy Betts and Joel Smallbone, who codirected with Richard L. Ramsey. (112 min, PG. Essex, Majestic, Star)

currently playing

ABIGAIL ★★★ Criminals who kidnap a gangster's cute ballerina daughter get a rude awakening in this horror flick. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) directed. (109 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Sunset)

ARTHUR THE KING ★★1/2 A stray dog inspires an athlete (Mark Wahlberg) to fight the odds in an endurance race. (90 min, PG-13. Bijou, Majestic)

CIVIL WAR ★★★★ Journalists race toward a Washington, D.C., threatened by rebels in this dystopian action thriller from Alex Garland (Men), starring Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura. (109 min, R. Big Picture, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 4/17)

DUNE: PART TWO ★★★1/2 The saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and the spice planet Arrakis continues in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi series. (166 min, PG-13. Capitol, Majestic, Roxy; reviewed 3/6)

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE ★★1/2 A new generation of ghostbusters joins the old one to fight an evil force that threatens Earth with a new ice age. (115 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Sunset, Welden)

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE ★★1/2 The two legendary monsters square off again in this action adventure from Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong). (115 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS ★★★★ A woman (Anamaria Marinca) finds herself forced to raise her girlfriend's two daughters in this acclaimed comedy-drama from Macedonia. Goran Stolevski directed. (107 min, R. Capitol, Roxy)

KUNG FU PANDA 4 ★★★ Po (voice of Jack Black) must train his warrior successor in this animated adventure. With Awkwafina and Viola Davis. (94 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Majestic, Paramount, Sunset, Welden)

LA CHIMERA: An archaeologist (Josh O'Connor) gets embroiled in a black market for stolen artifacts in this acclaimed romantic adventure from director Alice Rohrwacher (The Wonders). (130 min, NR. Roxy; reviewed 4/24)

LOVE LIES BLEEDING ★★★★ Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian play a gym manager and a bodybuilder who fall in love, but criminal entanglements threaten their dreams. (104 min, R. Roxy, Sunset; reviewed 4/3)

THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE ★★★ British special ops fight the Nazis in this action flick loosely based on Operation Postmaster. (120 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star)

MONKEY MAN ★★★1/2 In this action thriller set in Mumbai, Dev Patel (who also directed and cowrote) plays a young man who goes on a revenge crusade against the oppressors of the powerless. (121 min, R. Majestic, Stowe, Sunset)

PROBLEMISTA ★★★1/2 An aspiring toy designer takes a job with an eccentric New York artist in this comedy. (104 min, R. Savoy)

SASQUATCH SUNSET ★★★ Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough play a Bigfoot couple in an offbeat adventure comedy from David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter). (89 min, R. Roxy, Savoy)

SPY X FAMILY CODE: WHITE ★★★1/2 This animated action comedy is based on the Spy x Family manga series. (110 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic)

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS ★★★ The women of a small town investigate to see who has been sending profane missives in this comic period piece with Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley. (100 min, R. Roxy, Savoy)

older films and special screenings

ALIEN 45TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Fri-Mon only; Majestic, Fri-Tue only)

DAN SAVAGE'S 2024 HUMP! FILM FESTIVAL (Roxy, Sat only)

EPIC TAILS (Welden)

THE FARM BOY (Savoy, Sun only)

IT'S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL (Savoy, Sat only)

MIGRATION (Sunset)

THE MUMMY 25TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Fri-Mon only)

SHREK 2 20TH ANNIVERSARY (Bijou, Majestic)

SPIRITED AWAY (STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2014) (Essex, Sat-Mon & Wed 1 only)

open theaters

Catamount Arts' theater is currently closed until further notice. (* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

• BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info (closed April 28 to May 6)
• *BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com
• CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com
• *CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org
• ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com
• MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com
• MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com (closed for renovation)
• *MERRILL'S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net
• PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com
• PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com
• SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com
• STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com
• *STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com
• SUNSET DRIVE-IN: 155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com
• *WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com